Japan's 2026 High School Soccer Tournament Begins Amid Nationwide School Sports Celebrations

Shōhei High School in Saitama held a pre‑summer break assembly on July 23, 2026. The gathering honored the achievements of its sports clubs—including cheerleading, soft‑tennis, track, basketball, rugby, soccer and baseball—as they prepared for upcoming national competitions. The principal urged students to act with kindness over the holidays, and noted that IB‑track students will sit for their DP exams in October.

The Japan National High School Soccer Inter‑High tournament for 2026 will kick off on July 25. The schedule lists first‑round matches across prefectures such as Saga, Yamaguchi, Okinawa and Hokkaido, with further rounds through early August. Selected games will be shown on J SPORTS 1, while all matches are streamed free of charge via Inhai.TV and some on J SPORTS On‑Demand. The tournament is a key event in the country’s high‑school sports calendar, drawing widespread attention from students and fans nationwide.